


River Water

by Tortellini



Category: A Separate Peace - John Knowles
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Light-Hearted, Male Friendship, Not Canon Compliant, Wordcount: 100-500, no injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-21 00:09:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10673601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tortellini/pseuds/Tortellini
Summary: That night over the river, Gene Forrester is able to come to his senses: he does not bounce the branch, and Finny does not fall and break his leg. In retrospect, he's so glad he made that decision too.Oneshot/drabble





	River Water

The tree is huge, and it's dark out. Gene doesn't know why he came with him. He resents it. Finny, naturally, doesn't notice.

"Go farther up so we can jump together, all right?" he says brightly. "I bet no one's done that before!" Gene is right next to him, and he nods, his face expressionless.

He wants to do it. God, he wants to. All he'd have to do was move the branch, and... he'd fall. Just like that.

"C'mon!" Finny laughs and steps out on the branch. He grabs Gene's hand, and all but pulls him off and into the water.

The cold brings him back to reality and he chokes slightly on the river water. What the hell had he been about to do...?!

"Hey." Finny says next to him, treading water. "You all right, Gene? You look a little pale.."

He looks at his best friend, and sees the oblivious kind-hearted concern etched into his face. Gene swallows river water, which makes him gag, but he nods.

"Yeah. I'm fine." he says quietly.


End file.
